Fire extinguisher means



June 19',- 1945. l D. M. MYERS FIRE EX'JIIGUISHERv MEANS Filed May 14,` 19,43

IN V EN TOR. MoFf'A r Mrt-,Qs

Arron/Vex Patented June 19, 1945 1 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE The invention relates to liquid dispensing or discharging means, particularly fire extinguisher means employing a chemical extinguishing liquid such asl carbon tetrachloride; and it is concernedy more especially with an attachment for converting a commercial container for such liquid intofa re extinguisher whereby the liquid contents may be delivered and projected a considerable distance. Qrdinarily, containers for such liquid are in the nature of tin-plate cans of quart or larger size having a screw-cap or seal on a neck of the containerthrough which neck the fluid may be emptied when the screw-cap is removed. y The invention has for an object an attachmen or substitute closure member for the usual screwcap of such containers whereby the can isconverted into a eiective fire-extinguishing means, the original cap rbeing discarded.

A further object of the inventionfs to-provide .a novel cap member designed to replace the standard screw-capv of such containers.

It has been found thatv after more orv less extended periods of vtime certain manually-operated pumping types of iire extinguishers occasionally stick and bind suciently to renderthe extinguisher useless inv an emergency; and it is another object of the jinvention to`provide a i-lre extinguisher attachment having nomoving parts in the liquid, thereby eliminating the usual difficulty resulting fromcorrosion of moving parts in liquid. f A v Still another object of the invention is toprovidean extinguisherwhich will eliminate the inconvenient necessity of refilling, asin the case of the usual type of fire extinguisher after itsfcharge i of fluid is exhausted, thev novel attachment requiring merely the'throwingaway of the empty can andthe application of the attachment to a newV andA full can.

The invention has for an object, also, to proy vide a construction which vwill prevent vspillage as well as evaporation of the contents of the can for a novel closure member. This closure member comprises a cap member designed to lit over the said neck and includes a head portion to seal the container, said head portion being provided with air inlet and air outlet ports for connection lwith an external bulb for introducing air under y pressure into the container and carried by said closure member.

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and also prevent contact of .the liquid with the means for providing pressure thereon. Y, I

The novel attachment, moreover, obviates th purchase of an expensive and costlycontainer forming part ofthe usual type of hand-operated, chemical re extinguisher, it being necessary merely to purchase the chemical in an ordinary can and attach the `novel device thereto `to convert the same immediately into an effective fire extinguisher. f v l In carrying out the invention, the usual sealing cap which is threaded on theneck of a can of the liquid is discarded and there issubstituted there- A further means, such as an ejector pipe, also carried by the closure member, extends substantially to the bottom of the container and is adapted to communicate with a nozzle port of the head for discharging the contents of the container when the air under pressure is applied. A plug valve element fitted to oscillate within the head serves to control communication through the said ports as Well as throughv a further and relief port of the' -head designed to provide for the escape from the container of any .air under pressure when it is desired to discontinue the discharge of liquid, the arrangement-being such that the liquid discharge is cutoi prior to the opening of the relief connection. Y

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 a rear elevation of the novel attachment applied to a container.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the container with the attachment applied and shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the container with the novel attachment applied.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modiiied form of thevattachment.

Figs. 6, '7, and'8 are vertical sections on an enlarged scale of the novel attachmentvshowing different positions of' the controlling plug valve, thecompression air bulb connection and liquid ejector pipe being broken away.

` Referring to the drawing, the novel attachment is shown inthe nature of a cap member lil threaded tofit'on the correspondingly threaded neck' Il of a container l2, the latter embodying the usual tin-plate can of quart or larger size containing the desired liquid to be discharged, for example, a fire-extinguishing liquid or chemical such as carbon tetrachloride. The usual cap (not shown) furnished with such can is to be discarded' and replaced by thev capv Hl which is screwed down to form an air-tight joint. The novel cap member, as shown Vmore clearly in Figs. 6 to 8, comprises a head portion I3 formed integrally with the vthreaded portion I; or, as

shown in Fig. 5, the threaded cap portion I' may be constructed as separate from the head portion I3 which is then designed to extend through a perforation ID" in the top of said threaded portion. A washer I3 may be introduced between the top of said threaded portion I0' and the top of the neck II of the container to afford an air-tight seal thereat, In this embodiment, proper alignment of the heady portion I3 may more readily be secured by holding said'head portion in the desired angular position while screwmg on the threaded portion I 0 against washer I3".

There is provided transversely through this head portion in either case a central bore I5 from which extends through the head an yair inlet `port I6 with pipe extension I'I. To the latter is designed to be connected suitable air supplying means such as a hose or flexible tube I8 communicating with a compression air bulb I9 designed to introduce air under pressure to the port I6. A further air port 2B communicates with the transverse bore I5 and through the lower end of the cap member is designed `to afford an outlet port for air into the container as received Vfrom the compression bulb I9. The control of this supply is effected by means of a valve plug 25 fitting the bore I5 and oscillatable manually, for example, through an arc of 90 by means of a handle member 25 attached to a journal '21 there- Y of extending beyond vthe head I3.

In addition tothe aforesaid ports I6 and 20, there are provided further ports 3U and 3| ex tending from the bore l5 through the head, the former constitutinga nozzle port for discharge of liquid 'from the container I2 and the latter an ejector port having the extension or ejector tube 32 which is carried by the head and terminates substantially at the bottom of the container when the head is applied to the neck II, as Vshown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Due to the fact that a device of the nature set forth will be subject to rough and careless handling under various conditions, it is preferred, in order to protect and maintain the required diameter of the outlet ci the discharge port 30, to counterbore the same at its outer end, as indicated at 33, so that bruising of the mouth of 4the jet port cannot occur. Any injury to the mouth of this jet port would otherwise result in restricting or eliminating the discharge of fluid or in diverting its direction, thus seriously impairing the eiliciency of the extinguisher.

There is provided in said head I3 also a relief port 35 adjacent the nozzle port 36 for discharging air under pressure in the container when the handle 25 in the horizontal or closed position wherein the valve plug 25 seals 01T all of the aforesaid ports. i

When the handle is elevated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, to the substantially vertical position shown in Fig. '7, twothrough ports 36 and 31 of the valve plug are arranged to afford communication respectively between the air inlet and outlet ports I5, 2i! and the nozzle and ejector ports 3B, 3|. The through port 35 to this end is rightangled and, as indicated in said Fig. 7, direct communication will be afforded thereby between the air compression bulb I9 and the interior of container I2 so that air and pressure will be introduced over the surface of the liquid 38 in the container to force the same outwardly through the ejector pipe 32, its port 3l, and the port 31 to the nozzle port 30 from which it is discharged for use.

To seal the container, it is necessary merely to move the handle in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 8, until it assumes 'again the horizontal position indicated in Fig. 6. During this return movement, however, it assumes momentarily an intermediate position, as indicated in Fig. 8, wherein the port 3T will register both with 'the relief port 35 and the air outlet port 20 so that a direct communication is afforded between the interior of the container and the atmosphere, thereby relieving any pressure in the container prior to the complete sealing-0E of the latter:

This relief of pressure within the container when the device isv not in use is of considerable importance in that stress on the seams of the can and cover member joints is obviated, with consequent el-imi-n-ation of leakage and loss of the volatile contents. l v

The novel attachment makes it possible to convert quickly an ordinary commercial can of the lire-extinguishing'liquid into a very effective re extinguisher, with which it is possible vto throw a stream vsome Afifteen 'feet from the container upon compressing and working the bulb in the usual manner to supply air under pressure over the liquid. When the contents are exhausted, it is necessary merely to vun'screw the attachment and apply the same to' a further can to replenish the supply.

The attachment is constructed such that there will beno moving parts normally in Contact with the liquid and 'subject to corrosion, nor will the bulb be contacted by the liquid vat any time; and leakage and/or evaporationoffthe contents during storage is insured against in the provision of (D, the sealing means 'associated with the ports, as

well as in the provision of the relief port. The novel attachment is of relatively inexpensive construction land .is readly and quickly applied without the usefof any tools.

I claim: l

1. Liquid-ejecting means and substitutel closure member for the sealing cap of a container, adapted for dispensing a nre-extinguishing liquid from the said container through theneck thereof, comprising a cap member designed to t removably over the said neck `and including a head portion with compressi-on air bulb attached thereto, said head being provided with a central transverse bore Vhaving an air inlet port communicating therewith `and with 'the air bulb and having also an air outlet port lfor communication with the interior of the container, said head being further provided with a nozzle port extending from the transverse bore through the head, and with an adjacent pressure relief port extending from the transverse bore through the head, an ejector pipe carried by said head to extend therefrom into the container substantially to the bottom thereof, its outer end terminating atthe transverse bore of the head, and a valve plug oscillatably tted within the said transverse bore having a through port adapted to register in the open position of the plug respectively with the outer end of the ejector tube and the inner end of the nozzle port 'and :in an intermediate position with the air outlet port and the relief port, said plug having a further through port adapted in the firstnamed open position ofthe plugr to establish communication between the air inlet port and the air outlet port and inthe intermediate and closed positions of the plug interrupting such communimovably over the said neck and including a head portion With compression air bulb attached y thereto, said head being provided with a central transverse bore having an air Ainlet port communicating therewith and with the air bulb, and having also an air outlet port for communication withvthe interior of the container, said head being further provided with acounterbored nozzle port extending from the transverse borethrough the head, and with an adjacent pressure relief port extending from the transverse bore through the head, an ejector pipe carried by said head to extend therefrom into the container substantially l to the bottom thereof, its outer end terminating at the transverse bore of the head, and a valvek plug oscillatably fitted Within the said transverse bore having a through port adapted to kregister in the open position of'the plug respectively with the outer end of the ejector, tube and the inner end of the nozzle. port and in an intermediate position with the Aair outlet port and the relief port, said plug having a further through port adapted in the first-named open position of the plug to establish communication between the air inlet port and the'air outlet port and in the intermediate and closed positions of the plug interrupting such communication.

3. Liquid-ejecting means and substitute closure member for the sealing cap of la container, adapted for dispensing a fire-extinguishing liquid from thev said container through the neck thereof, comthe plug respectively with'the outer end of the ejector tube andthe inner end of the nozzle port and in an intermediate position with the air out let port and the relief port, said plug having a further and right-angled through port adapted in the first-named open position of the plug to establish communication between the air inlet port and the air outlet port and in the intermediate andclosed positions of the plug interrupting such communication.

4. ALiquid-ejecting means and substitute closure member for the sealing cap of a container,

. adapted for dispensing a fire-extinguishing liquid m-ovably over the said neck and including a head prising a cap member designed to fit removably over the said neck and including a head portion with compression air bulb attached thereto, said l head being provided with a central transverse bore having an air inlet port communicating therewith and with the air bulb and having also an air outlet-port for communication with the interior of the container, said' head being further provided with a nozzle port extending from the I the head, and a valve plug oscillatably lfitted within the said transverse bore having a through port adapted to register in the open positionof vtransverse bore through the head, and With an l adjacent pressure relief port extending from the portion With compression air bulb attached thereto, said head being provided with a central transverse bore having an air inlet port communicating therewith and With the air bulb and having also an air outlet port for communication With the interior of the container, said head being further provided With a nozzle port extending from the transverse bore through the head, and. with an adjacent pressure'relief port extending from the transverse bore through the head, an ejector pipe carried by saidhead to extend rtherefrom into the container substantially to the bottom thereof, its outer end terminating at the transverse bore of the head, and a valve plug oscillatably yfitted Within the said transverse bore, providing i with an operating handle swingable from a horizontal to a Vertical position and having a through port adapted to register When-the handleis in the verticalposition respectively with the outer end of the ejector tube and the inner end of the nozzle port and in an intermediate position with the air outlet port and the relief port, said plug having a further through port adapted when the handle is in the vertical position to establish communication between the air inlet port and the air outlet port and in the intermediate and horizontal positions interrupting such communication.

5. In a device ofthe nature set forth: an yoscillatable valve plug having a straight through port DAVID MOFFAT MYERS. 

